As an English major and an avid reader, I’ve certainly read my fair share of books. However, I believe there are two kinds of books in this world. There are the books that hold a space on our shelves and occupy our brain space for a short while, and then there are the kinds of books that inspire us. Books that light a fire within us and stick with us for years after we have left their life-altering pages.
While there are so many books that I have loved over the years, these are the ones that stand apart (in no particular order).
1. “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery
This was cemented as my favorite book of all time during a classics project in elementary school. “Anne of Green Gables” follows orphan Anne Shirley. When she is mistakenly sent to live with siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert (who expect a boy to help them at the Green Gables farmhouse), Anne fears that her dreams of a family are dashed yet again. The talkative and imaginative Anne is hardly what the Cuthberts expected, but her fiery personality manages to charm and change Green Gables forever.
2. “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” by J.K. Rowling
There is perhaps no series I’ve re-read more than the “Harry Potter” series. The third installment is my personal favorite. “Prisoner of Azkaban” finds Harry in his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As always, Harry and his best friends, Ron and Hermione, must face a slew of magical threats, including soul-sucking dementors and an escaped dark wizard from Azkaban. While the threat of Voldemort lingers, Harry must confront the past events responsible for his parents’ deaths.
3. “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom
This was one assigned reading that stuck with me years after reading it. But be forewarned, you’ll need tissues on hand. “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a memoir that chronicles Mitch Albom reconnecting with his former sociology professor, Morrie Schwartz. When Albom learns of Morrie’s ALS diagnosis, the two begin weekly visits in Morrie’s study. As Morrie faces a terminal illness, he offers Albom one final lesson during their Tuesday meetings- how to live.
4. “Crooked Kingdom” by Leigh Bardugo
The “Six of Crows” duology will always hold a special place in my heart. Set in a lush fantasy world, this series follows six outcasts and criminals as they attempt to pull off an impossible heist. “Crooked Kingdom” begins immediately after the events of the first book. Double-crossed and desperate, the Crows remain determined to destroy their enemies and secure their riches. However, new threats and obstacles continue to challenge the crew’s loyalties, leading to an epic, harrowing conclusion.
5. “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I frequently find myself coming back to this book, as I continue to be mesmerized by its masterful storytelling. This novel follows its titular character, Evelyn Hugo, a reclusive Old Hollywood movie star who wishes to tell her life story to an unknown journalist, Monique Grant. Known for her beauty and scandalous seven marriages, the aging scarlet is considered Hollywood royalty. However, as her story unfolds over the course of seven decades, Monique soon learns that Evelyn’s story holds greater secrets than the tabloids ever printed.
6. “Unravel Me” by Tahereh Mafi
I discovered the “Shatter Me” series during my sophomore year of college and devoured it within a few weeks. The dystopian series follows Juliette Ferrars, a seventeen-year-old girl with a lethal touch. When she is freed from isolation by her futuristic society’s government, Juliette must decide if she will become a weapon or own the gift she’s resented her entire life. The series’ second book, “Unravel Me” is my personal favorite. The second installment is packed with even higher stakes, forbidden romance, and non-stop action.
7. “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë
“Wuthering Heights” is another book that started as required reading and quickly became one of my favorite books of all time. Emily Brontë’s gothic classic is a sprawling, epic tale that spans multiple generations of two families: the Earnshaws and the Lintons. A tale of obsession, vengeance, and the supernatural, “Wuthering Heights” is one of the most riveting classics I’ve ever read. Despite its cast of deeply flawed characters, “Wuthering Heights’” twisted tale remains enthralling.
Well, there you have it, collegiettes! I think a trip to your local bookstore or library may be in order!